Numbering stamp



.951 c. J. HUGHEY 2,566,204

NUMBERING STAMP I Filed Sept. 25, 1946 TER J. H UGHE Y 31 INVENTOR Patented Aug. 28, 1951 NUMBER-ING STAMP Carter J. Hughey, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 25, 1946, Serial No. 699,237

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to numbering stamps, and more particularly to numberin stamps adapted for use in photographic printing machines to apply a number or identifying symbol on a paper print.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a numbering stamp which is adapted to apply the same number to a group of prints made from a single negative.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a numbering stamp which is adapted to be changed to provide a different number for each group of prints made from separate negatives.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of an inking pad which is moved automatically to an inoperative position during the numbering or stamping operation.

And yet another object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism for moving the inking pad out of inking relation with the numbering rollers when the latter are rotated to change the numbers.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a numbering stamp which is rugged in construction, easy to use, accurate, and highly effective in use.

To these and other ends, the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification,

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial view of a photoprinting apparatus, with the printing platenin the raised or non-printing position, showing the relation thereto of a printing stamp constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the stamp showing the relation of the parts when the platen is in lowered position;

Fig. 3 is a view taken from the left side of the platen, Fig. l, with the platen in the partly lower position, showing the inking pad moved away from the numbering rollers so that the latter may apply the numbers to the prints;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the stamp, as viewed at the right of Fig. 2 showing the numbering wheels or rollers and the associated parts; and

Fig. 5 is a partial side view of the stamp taken from the opposite side to that illustrated in Fig. 2 showing the relation of the inking pad and number roller during the number changing operation.

Similar reference numerals throughout the various views indicate the same parts.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a photographic printing machine of any suitable well-known construction having a light-tight body portion H with a top surface 12 formed with an aperture [3 adapted to receive a sheet of photographic paper, not shown, on which the image of a negative is to be printed. The printer may be either of the contact or projection type. A platen I4 is swingably connected to the body I l by means of hinges l5, and is movable from a non-printing position shown in Fig. 1 to a position in which the under surface It engages the paper print to hold the latter in printing position during the printing operation, as is well known to those in the art. As the printer and platen may be of any well-known or standard construction and do not, per se, constitute a part of the present invention. a further detailed description is not deemed necessary.

The printing stamp, broadly indicated by the numeral 20 in Fig. 1, comprises a suitable L.- shaped supporting plate, the horizontal leg 2! of which may be connected to the platen itself or to a plate 22 which, in turn, is secured to the platen in any suitable well-known manner. The right-hand portion of the L-shaped supporting plate 2| has the upper end of the vertical leg 23 thereof bent over to provide a top 24 from which depends a side wall 25 parallel to the leg 23 but spaced therefrom. The right end of the supporting plate 2 I, is, therefore, inverted U-shaped and the spaced leg 23 and wall 25 provide bearings for a shaft 26 on which a pair of numbering wheels 21 are rotatably mounted, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5. Each wheel 21 carries a series of individual numbers 28, as is well known and best illustrated in Fig. 4. When the platen is lowered, the stamp parts are in the position shown in 2 so that their numbers, positioned at the bottom of the rollers 21, can be impressed on a photographic print, as will be apparent from an inspection of the drawing.

As is well known, a suitable ink must be applied to the numbers 28 prior to the printing operation. Such ink may be supplied by an inking pad 3i! normally arranged in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 so as to engage the lower numerals of the rollers 2'! to supply ink thereto. When the platen I4 is lowered, the pad 30 is moved automatically, by means to be later described, to the position shown in Fig. 3 to uncover the roller numerals so that the latter may be applied to the print to number the latter. To secure this result, the inking pad 3 is carried on the free end of a bracket 3| pivotally or swingably connected at 32 to the side wall 25. The bracket 3| is provided with a laterally-extending pin 33 adapted to extend into a slotted opening 34 formed in one arm 35 of a bell crank lever pivoted at 36 on wall 25. A coil spring 31 is wrapped around the pivot 36, and has one end 38 connected to the arm 35 and tends to rotate the bell crank in clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, to bring the pad 39 to the inking position against the rollers 21.

The right end of the bell crank, as viewed in Fig. 2, has a curved or bent portion 33 which, when the platen is is moved downward to printing position, will engage the top E2 of the body II. Such engagement will serve to impart a relatively large rotation to the bell crank to move the latter in a counter-clockwise direction about the pivot 35, as viewed in Fig. 2, and, due to the pin-and-slot connections 33 and 34, will impart a relatively large rotation to the bracket 3| to move the latter about its pivot 32 to move the pad 38 from the position shown in Fig. l to the position shown in Fig. 2. Thus each time the platen i l is lowered, the inking pad is moved automatically a relatively large distance to the position shown in Fig. 2 so that the numbers 28 on the bottom of the rollers 27 may be eiiective in stamping or numbering the prints, as will be apparent from an inspection of the drawings.

It is common practice for photofinishers to apply the same number to all prints made from. one negative so that the prints corresponding to that negative may be readily assembled. However, each time a negative is changed, the numbering wheel is adjusted to bring a new number into position so the prints corresponding to the different negatives will have different numbers, but the prints correspondin to any one negative will all have the same number. To facilitate such numeral changes, the present invention provides a slidable member at mounted on the left side of the leg 23, as viewed in Fig. 4. A pair of ears 32 struck out from the leg 23 engage the lower edge iS of the member ll to support and guide the latter during its sliding movement on the leg 23. The latter is also provided with a laterally-extending pin lid which projects through an elongated horizontal slot 2-5 formed in the member 4|. A small collar lit, of a diameter slightly greater than the slot A5, is carried by pin ie and engages the outer surface l"! of the member dl to hold the latter against the leg 23.

I The right end of member ll, as viewed in Fig. 2, is provided with an inclined slot is in which is positioned a pin 69 connected to a yoke 53 which carries a pair of pawls, not shown, adapted to engage the ratchets of the rollers 21. Thus each time the member ii is slid to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, the pin M will ride upwardly and to the left along the slot 68. Such movement will cause the yoke 55 to move upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 4; so that the pawls will engage the ratchets 5! to move one or both wheels 2? to bring the next number into position. As such moving means for number wheels are old and well known, a further description is not deemed essential. A coil spring 52 has one end anchored to the pin a l while the other end is attached to a projecting pin 53 carried by the member li so that the spring 52 will tend to return the member 3! to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, after the numbers have been changed as pointed out above. A pair of spring fingers i l depend from the top 2:3 and engage the ratchets 5| to prevent reverse rotation thereof when the member ll and the parts associated therewith are returned to their initial. position, as shown in Fig. 2.

lhus each time the member ll is slid to the right, Fig. 2, the numbering rollers 23 are retated to bring the next number or numbers 23 into position. However, as mentioned the inking pad is normally in engagement with the rollers 2?. In order to prevent scufling of the pad 3i! during the number changing operation, it is desirable to impart a relatively small rotation to the bell crank which is just sufficient to move the bracket 3! slightly to shift the pad a small distance away from and out of contact with the rollers H, as shown in 5. To secure this result, the other 58 of the bell crank has formed on the free end thereof a small roller 59 which is positioned by the spring 3'! in the path of and slightly above an overhanging lip or flange 55 formed on the sliding member as best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. It will now be apparent that each time the member H is slid to the left, as viewed in Fig. 5, to change the numbers, the flange it will engage the roller to move the latter downwardly a small distance. Such slight downward movement of the roller 59 will impart a relatively small clockwise rotation to the bell crank, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 5. This small rotation of the bell crank will, by means of the pin-and-slot connection 33 and 3 impart a small clockwise rotation to the bracket 3!, such rotation being just sufilcient to move the pad 321 out of contact with the rollers 2! to free the latter so that they may be readily rotated without scuiiiing the pad 3 3, as will be appreciated from an inspection of 5 which shows the relation of the parts during the number changing operation.

The present invention thus provides a nurn boring stamp which is adapted to apply the same number to a group of prints made from a negative. Each time the negative is changed the number is changed so that each number will correspond with definite negative. An inking pad serves to supply ink to the numbering rollers, and in the numbering operation a relatively large rotative movement is imparted to the pad to move the latter to an inoperative position to permit the stamp to apply the numbe" to the prints. However, during the number changing operation, only a relatively small rotative move-- ment is imparted to the pad sufficient only to move the pad out of contact with the numbering rollers.

While one embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive idea may be carried out in a number of ways. This application is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details disclosed, but is intended to cover all variations or modifications thereof falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a photoprinting machine having a sheetsupporting surface, the combination with a pivotally mounted platen movable to and from a printing position relative to said sheet, of a numbering stamp carried by said platen and adapted to apply an identifying symbol to said sheet when said platen is moved to printing position, said position, means operatively connected to said pad and engageable with said surface to move said pad out of contact with said rollers when said platen is moved to said position, means for rotating said rollers to change the number to be applied to said sheet, and means controlled by said changing means to move said pad away from said rollers during said change.

2. In a photoprinting machine having a sheetsupporting surface, the combination with a pivotally mounted platen movable to and from 'a printing position relative to said sheet, of a numbering stamp carried by said platen and adapted to apply an identifying symbol to said sheet when said platen is moved to printing position, said stamp comprising, a support, numbering rollers carried by said support, an inking pad movably mounted on said support and adapted to engage said rollers when said platen is moved from said position, pad actuating means carried by said support and operatively connected to said pad and adapted to engage said surface and to be moved thereby when said platen is moved to said position to move said pad away from said rollers, means for rotating said rollers to change the number thereon to be applied to said sheet, and means controlled by said changing means to move said pad away from said rollers during said change.

3. In a photoprinting machine having a sheetsupporting surface, the combination with a pivotally mounted platen movable to and from a printing position relative to said sheet, of a numbering stamp carried by said platen and adapted to apply an identifying symbol to said sheet when said platen is moved to printing position, said stamp comprising, a support, numbering rollers carried by said support, an inking pad movably mounted on said support and adapted to engage said rollers when said platen is moved from said position, means operatively connected to said pad and engageable with said surface to move said pad out of contact with said rollers when said platen is moved to said postion, a member slidably mounted on said support, means for rotating said rollers to change the number to be applied to said sheet, means for operatively connecting said member to said changing means so that movement of said member in one direction will rotate said rollers to change the number, and means controlled by said member for moving said pad away from said rollers during said change.

4. In a photoprinting machine having a sheetsupporting surface, the combination with a pivotally mounted platen movable to and from a printing position relative to said-sheet, of a numbering stamp carried by said platen and adapted to apply an identifying symbol to said sheet when said platen is moved to printing position, said stamp comprising, a support, numbering rollers carried by said support, an inking pad movably mounted on said support and adapted to engage said rollers when said platen is moved from said position, means operatively connected to said pad and engageable with said surface to move said pad out of contact with said rollers when said platen is moved to said position, means for rotating said rollers to change the number to be applied to said sheet, a lever rockably mounted on said support and operatively connected to said pad, and means including a sliding member on said support associated with said rotating means and engageable with said lever for rocking said lever to move said pad away from said rollers during said change.

5. In a photoprinting machine having a sheetsupporting surface, the combination with a pivotally mounted platen movable to and from a printing position relative to said sheet, of a numbering stamp carried by said platen and adapted to apply an identifying symbol to said sheet when said platen is moved to printing position, said stamp comprising, a support, numbering rollers carried by said support, an inking pad movably mounted on said support and adapted to engage said rollers when said platen is moved from said position, means operatively connected to said pad and engageable with said surface to move said pad out of contact with said rollers when said platen is moved to said position, a member slidably mounted on said support, means for rotating said rollers to change the number to be applied to said sheet, means for operatively connecting said member to said changing means so that movement of said member in one direction will rotate said rollers to change the number, a lever rockably mounted on said support, means for connecting said pad to said lever, and means on said member adapted to engage and rock said lever when said member is moved in said one direction to move said pad out of contact with said rollers.

6. In a photoprinting machine having a sheetsupporting surface, the combination with a pivotally mounted platen movable to and from a printing position relative to said sheet, of a numbering stamp carried by said platen and adapted to apply an identifying symbol to said sheet when said platen is moved to printing position, said stamp comprising, a support, numbering rollers carried by said support, an inking pad movably mounted on said support and adapted to engage said rollers when said platen is moved from said position, a lever rockably mounted on said support, means for connecting said lever to said pad so that movement of said lever in one direction will move said pad away from said rollers, an actuating p rtion formed on said lever and adapted to engage said surface when said platen is moved to said position to impart a relatively large rocking movement to said lever in said one direction to move said pad out of the path of said rollers to permit the latter to stamp a number on said print when the platen is moved to said position, a member slidably mounted on said support, means for rotating said rollers to change the number thereon, means for operatively connecting said member to said changing means so that movement of said member to one position will rotate said rollers to change the number thereon to be applied to said sheet, and means for operatively connecting said lever to said member when the latter is moved to said position to impart a relatively small rocking movement to said lever sufficient only to disengage said pad from said rollers during the number change.

'7. In a photoprinting machine having a sheetsupporting surface, the combination with a pivotally mounted platen movable to and from a printing position relative to said sheet, of a numbering stamp carried by said platen and adapted to apply an identifying symbol to said sheet when said platen is moved to printing position, said stamp comprising, a support, numbering rollers carried by said support, an inking pad movably mounted on said support and adapted to engage said rollers when said platen is moved from said position, a lever rockably mounted on said sup- 4' port, means for connecting said lever to said pad so that movement of said lever in one direction will move said pad away from said rollers, an actuating portion formed on said lever and adapted to engage said surface when said platen is moved to said position to impart a relatively large rocking movement to said lever in said one direction tomove said pad out of the path of said rollers to permit the latter to stamp a number on said print when the platen is moved to said position, a member slidably mounted on said support, means for rotating said rollers to change the number thereon, means for operatively connecting said member to said changing means so that movement of said member to'one position will rotate said rollers to change the number thereon to be applied to said sheet, a roller on said lever spaced from said portion, and a lip on said member adapted to engage said roller when said member is moved to said one position to impart a relatively small rocking movement to said lever sufficient only to disengage said pad from said roller during the number change.

CARTER J. HUGHEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 438,578 Evens Oct. 14, 1890' 881,559 Dunlany Mar. 10, 1908 1,032,769 Post July 16, 1912 1,132,519 Folge-r Mar.v 16, 1915 1,230,391 Fogler June 19, 1917 1,518,415 Spiedel 1- Dec. 9, 1924 1,598,957 Chamberlin Sept. 7, 1926 1,716,525 Hopkins 1- June 11, 1929 2,085,325 Miller June 29, 1937 2,271,106 Strike Jan. 27, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 524,719 Germany May 11, 1931 

